


Never Would've Guessed

by QueenieKildare



Series: Eli's Emo Blog [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Just Add Kittens, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-16 02:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19636174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenieKildare/pseuds/QueenieKildare
Summary: Eli had a secret. One he’d managed to keep through two marriages, three children, and several decades in Mossad.





	Never Would've Guessed

**Author's Note:**

> Jilly James is the reason why Vengeance is a Thing. If she hadn’t ruined me with her “Vicious” we wouldn’t have gotten here. lol. Thanks Jilly ;)
> 
> This is for the kittens square. I feel like terms of endearment are also at play here, but Eli is completely incapable of calling Gibbs by name so TOE are *always* going to be Thing for Eli.

Eli had a secret. One he’d managed to keep through two marriages, three children, and several decades in Mossad. He loved to knit. He loved yarn in all its shapes, colors, textures and sizes. He loved creating something beautiful from a giant ball of fluff. And he’d amassed quite the collection of scarves, socks, sweaters, blankets and afghans over the years. At this point, he could probably open his own shop with his stash and stay in business for a good five years before he’d have to make anything new.

He’d bought a special blend of cashmere and merino wool in a lovely shade of blue recently. When he’d seen it, his only thought was that it matched his beloved’s eyes. So of course he had to have it.

His beloved Jethro had recently gone through some hard times. Namely, Eli had had to cancel the last several of their meetings and, thus, his beloved was suffering from the blue balls. Jethro was displeased but, of course, refused to admit as much. The man could be ridiculously stubborn when the mood struck him.

It struck him frequently.

To brighten Jethro’s day and offer an apology, Eli was making him a sweater out of the glorious yarn that matched his eyes. He was almost finished with it and planned to give it to his beloved in person upon its completion. He was both nervous and determined.

\-----

Eli took a taxi from the airport straight to Jethro’s house. There was no reason to prolong the inevitable. Action would win the day here. Well, win the man anyway. He paid the driver, retrieved his bags and approached the front door. He fully expected the door to be unlocked, per his Jethro’s usual modus operandi—and it was. So he let himself into the house, set his duffle bag by the stairs and headed down to the basement.

Eli was halfway down the stairs when he heard the mewing of a kitten. He raised his eyebrow, fully amused, and proceeded down the stairs with more haste. If Jethro had gone and gotten himself a kitten of all things then this promised to be quite the spectacle indeed.

True to his predictions. At the bottom of the stairs, Jethro was at his customary spot by his latest boat, on the table were two kittens. One was small and black, and the other was gray with a white front paw and a white circle around one eye. Jethro was wiggling some twine around on the table and watching the little things pounce on it. Eli was _most_ amused.

“This is a sight I never thought I would see,” Eli began as he crossed his arms and leaned agains the bannister.

Jethro turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Eli David. What in God’s name are you doing in _my house_?” He asked bemusedly. “Last I heard, you were back in Tel Aviv licking your wounds from your latest loss,” he smirked at Eli forgetting about the kitten.

Eli resisted the urge to frown. “Losses happen all the time, Jethro…But that is beside the point,” he pointed at Gibbs. “You will not derail me quite so easily beloved. I am on to your tricks.” He narrowed his eyes at Gibbs. “I have come to give you a gift, beloved.”

“Gift? What?” Jethro asked eyes narrowing in suspicion. “You know how I feel about you and gifts, Eli. After that baby goat fiasco, we agreed that your gift giving rights were suspended until further notice.” He aimed a pointed stare at Eli. “Or have you forgotten about that?”

Eli flushed with embarrassment. “I agreed to no such thing! What we agreed was to never speak of that again.” He scowled at Jethro, “a vow you seem most pleased to break.” Ei pursed his lips. David’s do not pout.

Jethro moved over to Eli and pulled him close by his hips. “Ah, don’t be that way love. We’ll just have to agree to disagree,” he cajoled. He pulled Eli in for a kiss.

Eli pulled away with a frown. “No, I came here for a specific reason damn it. You will not addle my brain with your drugging kisses.” He pointed at Gibbs, “you will not!”

Jethro laughed and went back to his worktable. “Drugging huh?” He asked with a satisfied smirk. “Well by all means…” He sent a pointed look at Eli.

“Yes,” he said embarrassed and flustered. He picked up the bag he’d brought down with him and went over to Jethro. “I have brought you a gift, beloved.” He unceremoniously thrust the bag at Gibbs.

Jethro took the bag with a raised eyebrow then looked inside. He pulled out the a sweater. It was an icy shade of blue with shots of darker blues going through it. He ran his hands over it appreciating the softness. “This feels like a cloud,” he said absently.

Eli grinned pleased with himself. “You like it then? You will wear it?”

Gibbs looked over at Eli with narrowed eyes. “Yes..” He trailed off slowly then looked at Eli more closely. “You’re awfully investing in my wearing this. More so then just buying a sweater would generate.”

Eli gave Jethro his most innocent face.

Jethro snorted, amused despite himself. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You made this didn’t you?” He silently dared Eli to lie to him.

Eli pursed his lips and squinted at Gibbs. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” he said imperiously. “I just bought you a lovely, soft sweater the color of your eyes.” He sniffed mock offended.

Jethro just glared back at him.

Eli’s shoulders slumped. “Fine! Yes, I made the sweater,” he did not pout. He _didn't_.

Jethro grinned, put the sweater back into the bag, and then pulled Eli in for another kiss. He pulled back and opened his mouth to speak, but Eli just grumbled and pulled him into another kiss.

“You may show your appreciation with kisses or sex. Or both. I’m not picky,” he said.

Jethro dropped his head onto Eli’s shoulder and laughed.

Gibbs and Eli were going in for another kiss when a loud noise startled them, followed swiftly by the sound of glass breaking. Jethro pinched his nose in frustration.

Eli smirked at him. “It seems you have forgotten the most important rule when dealing with children and felines, beloved.” Eli was trying to keep a straight face—and failing, horribly.

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Jethro said shortly. “Fine, what did I forget?”

“One must never leave children or felines alone or allow them to become bored. Otherwise, the retribution will be swift and merciless,” he said and then proceeded to laugh hysterically.

Gibbs was glaring at him and pouting at the same time.

“Do you not have something to take care of, beloved?” Eli asked with his best angelic face.

Jethro just gave him an unimpressed look, “I haven’t believed that look on _your_ face since the moment we met.” He gave Eli a pointed look.

Eli rolled his eyes and shooed Jethro off to manage his feline.

Gibbs walked over, picked up the black kitten and grinned. “By the way, this little fellow is Mischief. I would’ve called him Eli, but figured that’d get repetitive and confusing long-term.” He picked up the gray kitten, “This little lady is Vengeance.”

Eli made an enquiring nose at the name “Vengeance.”

Jethro just grimaced. “Don’t ask. You’ll only regret it.” Then he walked over to Eli and thrust Mischief and Vengeance against his chest, grinning the entire time.

Eli sputtered, “Rude!” He quickly righted the kittens and then stared pointedly at Gibbs. “Do you not have a mess to clean up, beloved? You had best get started on that…” he trailed off meaningfully.

Jethro leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the sweater, love. It’s beautiful.”

Eli blushed furiously. “You are most welcome.”


End file.
